4 Causes of Heavy Electric Power Steering That Must Be Known
In today's era, the automotive world is also experiencing development. This is evidenced by the many new releases that are available, both in the form of cars and motorcycles. In addition to producing a variety of brands, the quality of vehicles has also changed. One of them is in the car steering wheel, which now includes a heavy electric power steering system.
If in the past the steering used for cars was hydraulic power steering, now the one used is electric power steering. This is because hydraulic power steering is considered to have many weaknesses. One of them is that it burdens the engine's work when in operation.
Causes of Heavy Electric Power Steering
Although electric power steering is better compared to hydraulic power steering, it does not mean it has no weaknesses. There are times when heavy electric power steering is felt. This is due to several contributing factors. Here are some causes that you should know.
1. Insufficient Electric Power to the Motor
One of the causes of heavy EPS is insufficient electric power. This is because the EPS power source uses the car's electrical system. A simple example is when a fuse blows or burns out. As a result, the electric current will be interrupted from the voltage source through the ECU to the power steering motor.
There are conditions where the battery suddenly fails or is weak. This condition may not affect the performance of the electric power steering as long as the battery charging system works well. This happens because when the engine is running, the battery will be charged immediately. It is different if the charging system is damaged, which can cause the EPS to become heavy.
2. Electric Power Steering Motor is Damaged
The second cause of heavy electric power steering is damage to the EPS motor. Usually, the damage occurs in the winding, commutator, or other supporting components. One of the causes is the presence of water inside the motor.
The water could be due to humidity or flooding. Ultimately, the water that accumulates in the motor can cause corrosion. As a result, the motor will become weak and the steering will feel heavier than normal conditions.
3. Heavy Electric Power Steering Settings
Some cars have manual electric power steering settings and some have auto settings. Manual settings usually have a sport mode and a comfort mode. The comfort mode aims to make the EPS feel lighter. Meanwhile, the sport mode aims to make the steering heavier when the car is at high speed.
If the car uses auto mode, the steering will feel very light when the car is moving slowly. It is different when the car reaches a certain speed where the steering will become heavier.
4. Electric Power Steering Sensor Not Working
Another cause that can be found in heavy electric power steering is that the EPS sensor is not working. The EPS module usually supplies electric current according to the vehicle's needs. However, when the vehicle is moving slowly, the electric current supplied should be high.
Therefore, a sensor is needed to detect the vehicle's condition. Usually, electric power steering uses two main sensors, namely the torque sensor and the speed sensor. The torque sensor aims to determine the amount of rotation in the steering system.
Meanwhile, the speed sensor is used to determine the speed of the vehicle. If there is damage to the electric power steering sensor, the information sent to the ECU will not meet the needs. As a result, the steering will feel heavy.
Avoid Heavy Electric Power Steering by Using Daihatsu!
Those are some causes that you can know about heavy electric power steering. After knowing the causes, you can make repairs. As a result, the steering will be lighter and driving will become more comfortable.
And it will be even safer if the steering never feels heavy. Just like when you use a Daihatsu car. Our product vehicles always have good performance. Thus, avoiding the problem of heavy steering.
